Transporter with built-in distribution and damping

ABSTRACT

An air cushion transporter with a platform and a plurality of replaceable air bearings. A platform formed of welded rectangular steel tubing providing built-in air distribution and air damping with the only piping being that used for making the connection to the external air supply. A low profile platform with no exposed or exterior piping.

United States Patent [191 Burdick et al.

[ 1 Mar. 12, 1974 TRANSPORTER WITH BUILT-IN DISTRIBUTION AND DAMPINGlnventors: Robert E. Burdick; Baxter K. Wolf,

both of Santa Barbara, Calif.

Assignee: Rolair Systems, Inc., Santa Barbara,

Calif.

Filed: Oct. 18, 1972 Appl. No.: 298,464

U.S. CI. 180/124, 180/125 Int. Cl. B60v l/06 Field of Search 180/124,125, 126, 127,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1966 Borneman 180/1243,552,519 l/l97l Wren 180/124 3,458,007 7/1969 Todd 180/124 X 3,650,2183/1972 Losey 180/124 3,466,010 /1969 Jung 180/125 X PrimaryExaminer-Kenneth H. Betts Assistant Examiner-John P. SilverstrimAttorney, Agent, or Firml-Iarris, Kern, Wallen &

Tinsley [5 7] ABSTRACT An air cushion transporter with a platform and aplurality of replaceable air bearings. A platform formed of weldedrectangular steel tubing providing built-in air distribution and airdamping with the only piping being that used for making the connectionto the external air supply. A low profile platform with no exposed orexterior piping.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TRANSPORTER WITH BUILT-IN DISTRIBUTION ANDDAMPING This invention relates to air cushion devices and in particular,to an air cushion transporter comprising a new and improved platform anda plurality of replaceable air bearings for the platform.

A typical transporter with a platform and a plurality of replaceable airbearings is shown in the copending U.S. Pat. application of Robert E.Burdick entitled Replaceable Air Cushion Device, Ser. 180,666 filedSept. 15, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,342. Compressed air is deliveredto the air bearings which generate a film of air between the transporterand the ground surface resulting in very low friction between thetransporter and ground.

The platform must be structurally strong in order to support the heavyloads typically moved by an air cushion transporter. Also, airdistribution piping for the various air bearings is required as part ofthe platform. Various configurations have been utilized in the past andthe present invention is directed to a new and improved platformconstruction wherein the platform is formed of welded rectangular steeltubing of standard mill run shapes, with the welded tubes providing boththe platform structural strength and the air distribution system. Thisconstruction results in a stronger and simpler platform with a lowprofile, while eliminating the air distribution piping and the problemsof finding space for the piping. Other objects, advantages, features andresults will more fully appear in the course of the followingdescription.

In the drawing:

FIG. I is an end view of an air cushion transporter with a platformincorporating the presently preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 33 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 44 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 55 ofFIG. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, the transporter comprises a platform andfour conventional replaceable air bearings 11. Each air bearingcomprises an upper relatively rigid plate 12, typically of steel, and alower flexible diaphragm 13, typically of rubber, with the diaphragmclamped to the plate at the periphery by a ring 14 and at the center bya disk 15 secured by rivets 16 to produce an annular space 17 betweenthe diaphragm and plate and a central space 18 between the diaphragm andthe ground surface 26. Openings 19 in the diaphragm 13 provide air flowpaths between the annular space 17 and central space 18. Openings 20 and21 in the plate 12 are aligned with openings in the platform when thebearing is inserted into the platform for air flow between the bearingand the platform. Gaskets 22 may be positioned on the plate 12 at theopenings 20, 21.

Angles 23 are carried on the bottom of the platform with a pair ofopposed angles defining a channel for slidingly receiving the plate 12of an air bearing. Bars 24 are carried on the bottom of the platform forsupporting the platform on the ground surface 26 when the air bearingsare deflated or removed.

The platform 10 is formed of a plurality of pieces of rectangular steeltube welded together side by side, with one transverse tube andappropriate end plates. The platform is formed with standard mill runshapes requiring only cutting to appropriate length and providingopenings for air passages in selected locations. A central portion ofthe platform is formed of tubes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 joinedside by side. Another tube 40 is positioned transverse between the tubes30, 36 with openings 41, 42 in the tubes 30, 36, respectively, providinga flow path between tubes 30, 40, and 36. A plate 44 closes one end oftubes 32, 33, 34 and another plate 45 closes the other end of tube 33.Another tube 46 is positioned between tubes 32, 34 with a closure plate47, with tubes 32 and 34 and plates 45 and 47 defining a wheel space 50in the platform adapted for receiving a guide wheel mechanism or a drivewheel mechanism (not shown). Space 50 may be closed by a bottom plate 51and a top plate (not shown) carried on angles 52. A pipe 54 with adisconnect coupling 55 provides an air passage to the space 50 when anair operated wheel mechanism is utilized.

Air under pressure may be supplied to the transverse tube 40, via avalve with a disconnect fitting for an external supply line 61, anotherfitting 62, and a pipe 63, with a pipe 63 fixed in an opening in thetube 40. The area with the pipes 54, 63 may be closed with a bottomplate 66 and a top plate 67 welded in place with reinforcing angle 68.

An orifice is provided at each end of the tubes 30, 36 for controlledair flow into the air bearings and in the embodiment illustrated,comprises a valve 70 positioned in a tube section 71 with a short lengthof pipe 72 welded in an end plate 73 at the tube 30, and another shortlength of pipe 74 welded in the bottom of the tube section 71 (FIG. 3).A handle 75 for manual adjustment orifice opening is accessible throughthe open end of the tube section 71. A similar construction is providedat the other end of the tube 30 and at each end of the tube 36.

The platform 10 also includes a damping chamber for each air bearing andin the embodiment illustrated, each damping chamber comprises tubes 80,81, 82 welded together and to the tube 30 or 36, and closed with end ofplates 83, 84. Cutouts 86 adjacent the ends of the tubes forming thecamping chamber provide communication between the three tubes. Opening87 in the bottom of the tube 82 provides communication with the airbearing there below.

In operation, the platform initially rests on the bars 24 and theuninflated air bearings are slid into position. Referring to the bearingin the lower left of FIG. 2, the bearing opening 20 is aligned with theorifice control valve 70 and the bearing opening 21 is aligned with theopening 87 of the damping chamber, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bearingin the upper right of FIG. 2 is similarly positioned. The bearing in thelower right of FIG. 2 and in the upper left of FIG. 2 has the bearingopening 21 aligned with the orifice valve 70 and the bearing opening 20aligned with the damping chamber opening 87.

An air line is connected at the valve 60 and the valve is opened. Airunder pressure flows into the transverse tube 40 and into the tubes 30,36, and then to each of the air bearings through the correspondingorifice controlled valve 70. At each air bearing air flows into theannular space 17 and from there into the damping chamber and into thecentral space. The air flow inflates the diaphragm of the air bearing tothe position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, raising the platform off of thesupport bars 24. Air flows from the central space 18 outward between thediaphragm and the ground surface providing a thin film of air on whichthe transporter rests. The transporter is now ready for movement alongthe surface with the very low friction resulting from the air flow.

When the transporter is moved to the desired posi tion, the air supplyis shut off, the air bearings are defiated and the platform movesdownward to rest on the bars 24.

The orifice control valves 70 provide a control for the orifice at theinlet of each air bearing for controlling the air flow to the bearing.ln an alternative configuration, the valve may be omitted, with the endof the tube section 7] closed and with the opening in the bottom of thetube communicating with the air bearing made of a predetermined size tofunction as the orfice.

The platform of the invention provides a low profile transporter with noair distribution piping other than the inlet pipes and with a smooth topand sides, with all of the necessary air lines being provided by thetubes which also provide the mechanical support structure of theplatform.

I claim:

1. An air cushion transporter with a platform and at least 4 airbearings,

said platform comprising a plurality of rectangular metal tubes joinedside by side, and means carried on said tubes for slidingly receivingsaid air bearings, said plurality of tubes including a first tubeextending between first and third bearing zones and a second tubeparallel to said first tube and extending between second and fourthbearing zones,

a third tube positioned between and attached to said first and secondtubes, with openings in the walls of corresponding second, third andfourth closed chambers at said second, third and fourth bearing zones,respectively, and

pipe means for connecting an air supply to said third tube.

2. A transporter as defined in claim 1 wherein said orifice definingmeans of said first tube comprises a valve carried in a tube section atone end of said first tube providing a right angle flow path from saidfirst tube to said second opening, with a manually actualable valvecontrol at the open end of said tube section for controlling the size ofsaid orifice.

3. A transporter as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said closedchambers includes at least one additional tube adjacent the fourth tubewith means defining flow paths there between.

4. A transporter as defined in claim 3 with said closed chambers on theouter sides of said first and second tubes,

and fifth and sixth tubes spaced from each other between said first andsecond tubes, with said third tube closing one end of said fifth andsixth tubes, with the other ends thereof open at the edge of theplatform.

5. A transporter as defined in claim 4 including means defining a wheelreceiving space between said fifth and sixth tubes, and

additional pipe means for connecting an air supply to

1. An air cushion transporter with a platform and at least 4 airbearings, said platform comprising a plurality of rectangular metaltubes joined side by side, and means carried on said tubes for slidinglyreceiving said air bearings, said plurality of tubes including a firsttube extending between first and third bearing zones and a second tubeparallel to said first tube and extending between second and fourthbearing zones, a third tube positioned between and attached to saidfirst and second tubes, with openings in the walls of said first andsecond tubes at said third tube providing an air flow path between saidfirst, second and third tubes, a first closed chamber at said firstbearing zone and including a fourth tube alongside said first tube anhaving a first downwardly facing opening for communication with acorresponding opening in an air bearing, said first tube including meansdefining an orifice with a second downwardly facing opening forcommunication with a corresponding opening in an air bearing,corresponding second, third and fourth closed chambers at said second,third and fourth bearing zones, respectively, and pipe means forconnecting an air supply to said third tube.
 2. A transporter as definedin claim 1 wherein said orifice defining means of said first tubecomprises a valve carried in a tube section at one end of said firsttube providing a right angle flow path from said first tube to saidsecond opening, with a manually actualable valve control at the open endof said tube section for controlling the size of said orifice.
 3. Atransporter as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said closed chambersincludes at least one additional tube adjacent the fourth tube withmeans defining flow paths there between.
 4. A transporter as defined inclaim 3 with said closed chambers on the outer sides of said first andsecond tubes, and fifth and sixth tubes spaced from each other betweensaid first and second tubes, with said third tube closing one end ofsaid fifth and sixth tubes, with the other ends thereof open at the edgeof the platform.
 5. A transporter as defined in claim 4 including meansdefining a wheel receiving space between said fifth and sixth tubes, andadditional pipe means for connecting an air supply to said space.